1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to data processing systems, and in particular to a graphical user interface (GUI) of a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a mixed-mode GUI input field.
2. Description of the Related Art
Graphical user interface (GUI) components are graphical elements that are displayed on a screen to facilitate interaction between a user and a computer system. Selection menus or selection boxes are among the GUI components that display and allow a user to choose among various predetermined inputs within the selection menus or boxes.
It may be necessary and desired at times to provide a GUI component that permits mixed mode inputs (i.e., numeric inputs, textual inputs, and combined textual and numeric inputs). With reference to FIG. 1, a GUI component 8 that allows mixed mode inputs is displayed on a display screen 14. A radio button 301 is assigned to each combined numeric and textual input 204 (i.e., Item 1, 2, or 3). A radio button 301 is also assigned to spin control box 100 for numeric-only input 104. A user selects an input 204 or spin control box 100 by using a graphical pointing device to select a corresponding radio button 301. If a combined number and text input 204 is selected, then the selection is indicated by highlighting the respective radio button 301, and spin control box 100 is de-activated. If spin control box 100 is selected, then the selection is indicated by highlighting the associated radio button 301. Spin control box 100 has a spin controller with scroll button 106A and scroll button 106B. Scroll buttons 106A and 106B are controlled by the user""s interface control device and activated to respectively increment and decrement numeric input 104 (i.e. from the number xe2x80x9c10xe2x80x9d) to a desired number within a numeric range. Desired numeric input 104 is shown within numeric display area 102 in spin control box 100. As shown, GUI component 8 of FIG. 1 that allows selection of mixed mode inputs occupies a relatively large display area. Also, GUI component 8 requires a relatively large amount of code to provide such a layout, and the large amount of code requires a lot of large memory space.
The present invention provides an improved graphical user interface (GUI) component for presenting mixed mode inputs. A GUI component disclosed as a mixed mode input box according to the present invention permits easier selection within the GUI component of an input among mixed mode inputs such as numeric inputs within a numeric range and combined textual and numeric inputs. Pull-down menu is activated to allow the user to select among mixed mode inputs. When the user selects a numeric value within a numeric range only as the selected input, scroll buttons are activated and used by the user to increment or decrement the numeric value to a desired, selected input value. When the selected input is any other input, such as a combined textual and numeric input, scroll buttons are de-activated. Display of mixed mode input box occupies a relatively small display area and only requires a relatively small amount of code to provide such a layout. Such a small amount of code is able to be stored in a small amount of memory space.